FOR A Warriors team desperately in need of a playoff spot, to be overconfident is a very bad sign.

Until this team comes out with fire in their eyes, every game, every second they are on the floor, this team will never contend for the playoffs, let alone an NBA championship.

Dennis O’Bayley

Castro Valley

NFL playoffs in

hands of refs

IHAVE to laugh when I see the novice and the expert attempt to pick winners of football games, most notably the NFL playoffs.

What will happen is the way officiating dictates the play on the field, which will give certain teams decided advantages.

Most recently when the Pats beat the Colts, the officials allowed the Pats secondary to maul the Colts without any penalties, thus nullifying the Colts’ strengths and opportunity to win.

The games may be called consistently, but which teams benefit the most? The NFL knows because it instructs the referees how to call games.

Watch closely. Insiders say this year the Colts will get the calls and will win the Super Bowl.

David O’Brien

Fremont

Gannon the man

HIRE Rich Gannon and get it over with.

Earl Ramsey

Houston

Saunders wrong

for Raiders

IF THE Raiders hire Al Saunders as coach, then Al Davis is committing suicide because attendance will drop to 25,000-30,000 each game. I know I won’t renew or buy my four season tickets if someone like Saunders is hired as head coach.

I went through this with Norv Turner and Joe Bugel, Art Shell, etc. I want a good young coach for the team — someone like Ron Rivera, Mike Singletary or even Pat Hill.

If Davis does what is rumored, he is making a huge mistake with his team and its fan base. All he has to do is go

to any Raider message board and see that it runs about 3 to 1 against the hiring of Saunders.

Emmitt Simmons

Walnut Creek

Raiders fan

heard from NY

TO MR. Dave Newhouse.

I’m 25, live in NYC, am a diehard Raiders fan.

Your article was excellent in analyzing their coaching situation.

How about Ron Rivera or Mike Singletary as a candidate?

Does Al HAVE to go offensive?

As great as it is to have weapons like Randy Moss and Jordan, defense wins championships time and time again.

I’d be cool with Rick Neuheisel … not Jim Fassel.

Brian Nemiroff

New York City

Raiders still

will be a circus

TED TEDFORD would be a great choice.

His football knowledge would be wasted because Al won’t let go. And so it continues.

I have been following the Raiders from the Great White North for about 30 years or so.

We (the Raiders) had two of the best coaches anywhere work under A.D. Gruden and Shanahan could not be “puppets” to old Al.

Al is so mired in the good old days and the same philosophy of “misfits” and renegades. How he spends money on players past their prime is laughable. Somehow (I’m) hoping they will rejuvenate themselves in the Silver and Black. It’s not working!

LaMont Jordan and Rich Gannon are the only good examples of when it has worked. It is frustrating to watch the team now. But one thing is for sure, the circus will come to town again next year.

My prediction: Al will sign Brett Favre.

I’ll grab my cotton candy and get a seat ringside.

Bob Leier

Regina, Saskatchewan

Three coaches

to consider

BEAMER would be good. Pete Carroll too. But a guy that is underrated is Wade Phillips.

He took over a 6-10 Bills team and went 10-6, 11-5 and 8-8 with lots of injuries. He refused to fire an assistant, so owner axed him in Buffalo.

Charlie Calzonetti

Hamilton, Ontario

Time for Al

to figure it out

DAN SNYDER and Jerry Jones finally figured it out.

Come on, Al — it’s time to have a real football organization and start the winning ways instead of burying this franchise.

Bill Quintero

San Diego

No place for

punk athletes

DR. STEGER had no choice but to cut Marcus Vick from the Virginia Tech football program.

Punk athletes like him have no place on the field where playing ball is a privilege. I hope athletes like Vick, Maurice Clarett, and Terrell Owens just go back under the rocks from which they came.

No amount of talent can overcome their unsportsmanlike conduct or criminal behavior. Coach Beamer and the Hokie Nation may not win as many games next year, but the integrity and class of the Tech program will be maintained.

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